Kobold
Appearance Kobolds are a bipedal form of reptile. A kobold stands between 2'0" and 3'6" tall, weighing 35 to 55 pounds. They have scaly reptilian skin that can be white, grey, sandy-brown, steel blue, or reddish-grey (depending on their dragon lineage), with burnt orange to red eyes. Their legs are sinewy and double-jointed. They have long, clawed fingers and a jaw like a crocodile. Small white or tan horns protrude from their head, and they have rat-like tails. Kobolds smell of wet dog and stagnant water. They like to wear gray, form-fitting garments, which are usually ragged. Personality Each ethnicity of Kobold varies in personality. Because of the other races holding a distrust toward them, kobolds tend to be distrusting in return. Most of them live in their own clans which are only mix-colored on rare occassion. It's not unheard of for them to leave their clans and join mammalian society, though they are rarely treated well in this new society. Society Kobolds live in tribal societies. Their lairs are often overcrowded, although when one clan becomes too numerous, it splits. The overcrowding has eliminated the concept of privacy, so kobolds sleep in communal areas, and nudity is not regarded as shameful or offensive to the same sex. The common overcrowding leads to conflict, and two kobolds will fight to settle their differences, although these fights are not usually lethal. This leads to a lack of deep-rooted or severe divisions or greivances in kobold society. They are respectful of authority figures, and will obey diligently. Religion Kobolds may accept the existance of the gods worshiped by humanoids, but they do not pray to them. Instead, they worship Dragons as their own pantheon. They acknoledge the fact that Dragons are mortal, but they also believe that the humanoids pantheon is no better. They believe that all beings age and eventually die, including gods. Many clans spread across the land, but only five of them are able to live in the precence of their "gods," acting as very obedient and caring servants to the dragon that houses them. No one knows where their shaman get their divine power, but most assume that it is the same power that was given to the dragons to create them from Wyverns. No god claims to have created the Kobolds. The widest belief is that they were simply evolved from dragons to make a vast improvement on rate of procreation. Language Kobolds speak a version of Draconic, with a yipping accent but leaders often learn broken common for the purpose of "negotiations" with other races. Names Kobolds are given names as they are born based on their appearance. The largest child of a hatching is named "Irral," meaning "prime" in draconic. The smallest is named "Woari," translating to "lost." As they reach maturity, they are given a name based on their talent. In formal ceremonies of the tribe, a kobold warrior that was born larger than the rest of his hatching would be called "Vervesh Caex wer Irral," meaning "Strong Sword, the Prime," and an assassin born weaker than his peers would be called "Seltur Urac heuna Woari," or "Soft Foot, once Lost." Outside of a formal situation, the birth name would not be used. Arcitecture Kobolds rarely build their dwellings. However, they are excellent engineers because of their need to tunnel through rock and prevent it from collapsing. On the occassion that they join a humanoid society, it is wise to trust them to help oversee construction. Most kobold caves are near the ground's surface, though brown-bloods live deeper than the other ethnicities, often being called "mole-bolds" because of their extremely thin and long tunnel systems. Clothing Most kobolds are miners and so dress in sleeveless tunics and breeches, but kobolds enjoy dressing in more elegant clothing for festivities. This includes clothes made from silk or leather, but tailored clothes are only common among leaders. Garments are often made to compliment the wearer's eyes. Other garments might be dyed to demonstrate the wearer's affinity to a particular kind of dragon. Kobold garments have conservative lines, not exposing bare scales in a suggestive way. Kobolds require the dexterity in their feet too often to wear footwear, and the soles of their feet are hard enough to cope with most surfaces. Due to the amount of time kobolds spend mining, gemstones are readily available, and they use these to adorn their clothing, and to make jewelery. Outlook Kobolds hold a hatred for nearly all other humanoid races and enjoy killing, torturing, and enslaving them. The ultimate goal of the kobolds is the conquest of as much land as possible. They will plan and dig mines industriously, while laying cruel traps for interlopers, preferring an ambush to direct confrontation. If they must confront an enemy, they will try to overwhelm foes with sheer numbers. Among the monstrous humanoids, they are known for cunning plans, unlike many they also share those plans among the tribe. General plans and goals are common knowledge, and detailed plans are shared with all who ask to allow them to work fruitfully for the good of the clan. Kobolds are happy to remain separated from the other races, and are a confident race. A kobold saying states: While each kobold values its own life, the tribe comes first. They consider the success of their tribe to be their own success. Kobolds are resentful of their short stature and hate members of other races who poke fun at them for this. Most feel as though they ought to compensate for their small size in other ways, such as humor or aggression. They will naturally tend to hate larger creatures, and although they will show respect and obedience if required, they will always be looking for ways to display their resentment. Ethnicities Kobolds are known to be decendants of Dragons and each color of dragon shows in the ethnicities of kobolds. *Black-Blood : A Black-Blood Kobold has dark grey scales and stands at 2'5". Beneath their feet is a pad of fatty tissue, similar to the paw of a dog or cat. It is present on all kobolds, but larger and more padded on Black-Bloods. Known to generally be cold-hearted, they are excellent sneaks, tricksters, and torturers. If intimidated, they will extend small flaps of webbing around their necks to make them look bigger. They also have rattlers attatched to their necks. If an enemy is close enough, a black-blood will spit acid, targeting the eyes. *Blue-Blood : A Blue-Blood Kobold is covered in steel-blue scales and stands at 2'8". They are mostly healers, traders, pickpocketers, and slavers. They are surprisingly good at trade negotiations, even with people racist toward kobolds. *Brown-Blood : A Brown-Blood Kobold has sandy-brown scales and long, thick claws. Because they generally live deep underground, not many people know of them. Much to most people's surprise, they are actually very noble compared to their cousins, and are by far the most accepted in mammalian religions. They are very loyal defenders, protecting their allies from enemies far beyond what they can defeat. Aside from brown-bloods and red-bloods, all other kobolds tend to be cowardly. While red-bloods will blindly attack anything they want destroyed, brown-bloods will recognize their chances for survival, but continue to fight if it means keeping their allies safe. Brown-bloods are long and almost serpentine, standing at 3'0", but able to stretch out to 8'0" from nose to tail. Held against their long necks are extendable flaps and rattlers that help to ward off enemies. *Red-Blood : A Red-Blood Kobold's scales are a dull hue of reddish-grey, sometimes tiger-striped with bright red. Their average height is 3'6" and their muscle structure is much bulkier. They are the most common to find in mercenary groups because, in spite of their small stature, they are shockingly fierce and bruttish. With a single enraged head-butt, these small berserkers can knock an orc to the ground, and using the crest on the back of their head, they can emit a deafening warcry, similar to the mating call of a Lambeosaurus. *White-Blood : A White-Blood Kobold is arguably the beauty of the Kobold race, with its pure white scales. They are the smallest ethnicity at 2'0", and they are somewhat lighter on average. Their bones are also not as dense as the other ethnicities. Their raspy voices sing excellent songs as they are most commonly bards. However, they are excellent readers, able to learn a language faster than most. They have a liking for both fiction and non-fiction and also make excellent scholars. Because of their white scales, they are often very neat and fastidious. *''Jennu Altui : Once in many generations, a kobold is born with small dragon wings. He or she is much stronger, more agile, able to fly and use the breath of his/her draconic blood, and able to live up to 80 years as opposed to the average 15. They are treated as demigods and if they are thralls to a dragon, that dragon is likely to appoint them as main advisor. It is very uncommon for Kobolds to see a Jennu Altui as they are so rarely born, but all kobolds know of their existance. Only a small handful of humanoids, however, have heard of them and even less have seen one, as they rarely leave the throne in the clan's cave. As a Jennu Altui reaches maturity, it is made the clan leader, and the throne stays in that kobold's bloodline until a new one is born. Category:Races